Improvement in grain-hulling machines



2 Sheets-Sheet 1. .l. A. WELSH.

Grain Hulling Machine. No. 57,605. PatentedAug. 28, 1866..

2 Sheets Sheet 2.

.l. .WELSH.

Grain Hulling Machine.

1 Patented Aug. 28, 1866 [III/III,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

J. A. WELSH, or XENIA, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN GRAIN-HULLIN G MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 57,605, dated August28, 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, J. A. WELSH, of Xenia,

in the county of Greene and State of Ohio,

have invented an Improved Hominy-Machine; and I do hereby declare thatthe following is a full and exact description thereof, reference beingbad to the accom panyin gdrawin gs, making part of this specificationFigure 1 being an end View of the machine; Fig. 2, a top View thereof,the cover or top being turned back; Fig. 3,a centrallongitudinalvertical section of the machine Fi 4, a transverse vertical sectionthereof.

Like letters designate corresponding parts in all the figures. I

A rectangular case, A, with a semi-cylindrical top, a, is a suitableform for the machine. A central driving-shaft, 0, extends longitudinallythrough it, being provided with hearings c 0, one of which projectsconsiderably from the main case to furnish room for the insertion of avertical receptacle or feeding-tube, B, substantially as represented. Atthe other end of the shaft the driving-pulley D is attached.

Around the shaft 0, at the working end, is a drum, d, which terminatesin atruncated conical portion, 8, Fig. 3, in the projecting hearing 0,where the corn is fed in through the tube B, which closes down over saidconical part of the drum, except on one side, where the grains of cornare admitted. This feedingaperture is regulated in size by a gate, I),so as to feed in the corn at any desired rate. From this feeding-tubethe corn, by the centrifugal action of the drum (1, is thrown inwardinto the open end of a transferringcylinder or cup, K, which is closedat the inner end, but has apertures k 7.; through its periphery, bywhich a passage is furnished for the corn to gradually find its way bycentrifugal action into the first beating-chamber, past the firstpartition G, which has an aperture through it just large enough only forthe transferringcylinder K to turn in. In this first chamber aresharp-edged heaters N N, projecting radially both from thetransferring-cylinder K and drum portion (1. Around the periphery of thechamber are grates F F, with narrow spaces between them for thedischarge of any flour-dust or fine particles of the hull produced bythe operation of the heaters N N.

sharp-edged heaters N N and grates F F for the further reduction of thegrains of corn. Thence the reduced particles of corn or hominy arepassed through a succeeding partition,

G, by another transferring-cylinder, M, of similar construction to thosealready described, and turning closely in the said partition. The,hominy is here received in a narrow discharg ing-chamber, H, whence itdescends through a delivering-spurt, R, below. Beyond this dischargingchamber H is a chamber, J, in which a fan, 1?, revolves, drawing the airfrom the discharging-chamber through an aperture, t, in the partition I,which separates the two chambers.

Since the other parts of the machine are quite close, the air is drawnby the fan up through the delivering-spout It among the discharginghoininy and in the direction opposite to the motion thereof, and thusthe hominy is thoroughly winnowed. The bulls and other impurities drawnaway by the fan I are discharged through a peripheral spout, Q,substantially as shown in the drawings.

The grates F F are of peculiar construction. They are made ofwrought-iron, and comparatively slender and light, and are recessed intheir inner periphery or surface,in which some rough or gritty and hardcomposition, such as sharp sand, cemented on, is secured, there beingonly a small margin, ff, at each inner edge to protect the compositionsurface. This applied rough surface is very effective in action, and asfast as it wears away it can readily and cheaply be replaced. The sidesof the partitions Gr G are also similarly covered with a hard roughcomposition of any suitable material.

The heaters N N, I mostly make of malleable iron, and then, whenroughened or rasped, they are case-hardened. Their outerends, n a, slopeinward somewhat toward their forward sharpened edges, as indicated inFig. 4.. By this shape they are found to work more efiiciently, sincethe wedge-acting ends do as much execution as any other part of theirsurface.

The heaters are secured in the periphery of the drum d andtransferring-cylinders K L M by shanks p 1), Fig. 4, of dovetail form,driven into apertures in said drum and cylinders, either entered fromthe ends thereof or from side apertures large'enough for theiradmission, and then secured in place by Wedges or keys 0 0,substantially as represented.

' What I claim as my invention, and desire V to secure by LettersPatent, is

1. The combination of the feeding-tube B and the conical end or part 8of the drum d, or

its equivalent, the amount fed in being regulated by a gate, b,substantially as and for the purpose herein specified.

2. The transferring-cylinders K L M, constructed and operatingsubstantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

The above, specification of my improved 'lioniiny-mill and grain-hullersigned by me this 20th day of February, 1866.

J. A. WELSH.

Witnesses:

J. E. HAWES, R. PARTINGTON.

